Adverti



April 17, 1928. 1,666,721V

v R. M. SHI-:RMLL

ADVBRTIS ING DEVICE Filed Sept. 21. 1926 2 Sheets-$hleex l April 17,1928.

' R. M. SHERRILL ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 2l. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet2 lZU/@ln' Sharp/Z- Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,666,721 PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD M. s HERRILL, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR 'ro CENTRALSCIENTIFIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Application filed September This invention relates to display oradvertising devices and more particularly to advertising devices havingmoving parts.

. One'ofthe objects ofthe invention is the provision of a newl andimproved advertising device that when in operation will have theappearance of. a4 transparent rotating sphere. 61,

j Another Object .of the "invention is the provision of'anew andimproveddisplaydevice ltogether Vwith means for illuminating the same withdifferent colored lights.A

A still dfurtherobject of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved display devicewith'means for, illuminating the r0- tating partthereof, that,is cheap to manufacture, simplel in construction, Composedof a minimum number of moving parts,l that is easilyassembledfand thatis so constructed and arranged that fthe rotating part will appear.` tobe Acontinuallychanging in appearance and will appear to be variegatedbythe refiection of varioustints and blended colors.

Otherand further` objects and advantages ofthe invention will appearsfrom the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the de- VlCe; i ,1. I

Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the ring;

Fig. v4 is anelevation of the ring at right angles to that shown in,Fig..3;

Fig. 5 is'a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but showing themodified form of ring;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of a portion of a ring On an enltged scale;

Fig. 7 is a sectional line and i u l Fig. 8 is a side elevationof amodified form of ring. i y.

It'has long Abeen known that in order to attract the attention of thepublic, a display or .advertisng'device should possess chang- 7*'7 ofFigt;

ing parts', preferably moving parts, that are visible Vto the observer.It is valso equally well known that the attention may be retained if thedevice possesses 'an element of mystery or the-cycle of change beprolonged orindetinite. f t

The present invention -seeks to combine these elements inthefprovisionof a device havingmoving-parts of-a. pleasing or attrac-21, 1926. Aserial No. 136,889.

tive appearance, one which contains an element of mystery and one in`which the cycle of change is ofindefinite'duration.

4,Referrin now tothe drawings in which similar re erenceycharactersdesignate the same parts throughoutthe specification, thereference character; .10. designates a casing or cabinet in whichmounted .a conventional Gramme ring 11l comprising-a Itapped fieldwinding l2. This-winding is Isupplied with a current .in sucha .mannerasjito; Iproduce a rotatory .magneticfield n, .As shown;` a.s`inglephase 3.1terr1at-11gCilirerltisisha-pliedI .totheV ring; throughaphalsegsplitting.- device'l3 from the leads. or riuiainsfhlli,.-,Th,e-. lead '.14 1s connected to theA winding; 12 .at 115 bytheconductor 16, at 1 7 .by.thechoke 'coil` -18.and conductor 19, and at-2l bythe `choke coil '18,

the non-inductive resistance .'22 `and theiconf eld and anylight'obj'ect affected thereby vvhen placed in the` dish and given a start will continue to gyrate vorspin so long as the magnetic Held ismaintained. 1 j

The display-Object is preferablya ring 24 formed of a thinnarrow endless.strip of metal such as aluminum. The Outer lsurface 25 preferablyHighly polished and it'sinner surface may be covered With-a Whitecoating of suitable material aspaint or enamel as indicated on anenlarged scale at126 in Fig. 7.

An objectof this typefwill have the appearance of a glass ball while itissp'inning or being rotated under the influence of the rotatorymagnetic field,. as indicated at 30 in Fig. 2.# The illusion is, .ifanything,'niore perfect if ,the endlessband be very narrow as indicatedby the ring 250 in Fig. 5. Ifidesired; a legend 38may besuspended bylight wires or threads 29 within the'ring. The legend lis clearlyvisibleand discernible While the .ring is spinning and appears lto be locatedwithin a glass ball or sphere. The eiect-maybeheightened very mate#rially by providing `a plurality ofv colored lights for illuminatingthes'pinning Object. l

Cil

Preferably these lights are so controlled that each will come on atirregular intervals so that at one instant the spinning object willappear to be a glass ball of one color changing. to a different colorthe next instant and so on indefinitely. y

Any suitable nulnbcr of colored lights may be employed. As shown, a redlight 27,v a. green light 28 and a yellow light Q9 are employed whichnot only give" these three primary colors but numerous other effects areproduced by their various combinations.

Sl'l'tab'le means are employed for energizing these lights at irregularintervals. As shown, the lights 27, 28 and Z9-are connected in parallelinthe secondary circuit 3l of the transformer-32. The primary winding32o of. said transformer is sappi'iedwreef electri-@al energy frorntheleads 'or niain's M tliroughth'e condietors 38 and 34. Each of thelight` eirciitsl; 36 'and 37 is provided wich-naam' for aatomeneaily'Opening' and dosingthe respectivecreuitintmittentiy. nfy ooit/ble orWell' known'- rneans may be employed fiori this purpose. One forni' ofdevice is shown 'more or less diagrammatiea-'l'ly4 in F ig. l andconsists of a b'rinetallic thermostat- 41 for each'ci-rlcu'it. Sinceeach switch is` t-he saine only one need be desiiifbed 'The thermostatiss0 constructed that the switch is norinal'ly open. Thetlicrmostriisc-a'nsd to close `the' switch by' neating the bmetallic strip 42 bymeans'- of a' ne i'vre 4a of high' resistance wound about the thermostatand attached to thex secon- (lary Winding 31 of the tran'sfor'r'nrandto' the Contact 44 of the'switch; ourre'r'i't passing the' fine i'vre 43will become heated and in torn heat the thermostat 4and cause' the'saine to flex 'and close the switch. The resistance of the Wire' 43-wilf'l prevemI snflicient currentv from passing therethrough to energizethe: light brit the instant the switch is closed 'the' current. ii'i'llpass through the thermostat thus energizing -the corresponding `lightand at the saine time permit-v ting the thermostat to cool and fici; inthe Opposite direction thereby opening the switch'. The opening andclosing of the switches will e'clr take' place at irregular intervalstlir'n's energizing each of the lights intermittently but at irregularintervals whereby the V's'pinninglobject will be illumin'ate'd b'ydifferent colors and combinations of'colors. l t one i'ns't'ant theobject, which appears to' be a. spinning transparent sphere, may be red,'at the next green or yellow or perhaps-sortie other color' produced byAthe combination of tiro or more ofthse colors and their. chan-gingenvarious other tints and combinations of colors an endless' variety ofvariegated reflections which' are calculatedto intrigue vthe attentionof 'the passerby.- The variety of the tints-andrcolors and theirnumerous changes with no regularity in their recurrence are adapted toretain the attention of the observer almost indelinitely.

It has been fonnd tha/t if elle shatter marks 45 made by the cuttingtool and shown eonsiderablyenlarged in Fig. 6 be left on the edges ofthe spinning ring, the` result will be high light reflections whichtaken together with the shades and shadows, the blending of colors andthe different tints reflected from the surface of the spinning objectwill very materially enhance the fascinating app'earalnco of what looks'like a mysterious rotating transparent sph'ere of ever changing colorsand Variegatodhues.

Preferably the' ring", phase splitting' de- \*ice`,- thetiansforierandthe siifitelie's are concerted'. The lignes `22, 28:nidvso may also be: eonc'ez'r'le'd l'hind Walls 4G wlf'iiolimfay alsobe extended about the Casing l() as indicated innig. 1- and arepreferably wanted or lined withf a materialto absorb tl'relifgiit raysmami-e not reflected foi-waren' from the spinning objectf.-

WinnI in me for-mfg' @i aie device disclosed, the anni'llar n'i'einbersblaren limited thickness, it is understood lnitthe thickness or width ofthe -ri-ngsmay be variel'within iride ranges for obtaining different orifa-ri;- ous effects. y

This invention is an' impr'ovem'e'nt` nl von the invention of Pafi'zllE,- Klopsteg` de'sc'ri d and clafin'ied in his' Batfetliqlt); May' 31,-19:27.

It is thm-ight from tli'e'fogoiilig tale-en connection with the`aocompiyin'gfdrwings that theY `construction Aand'-'operatioa 'of myder'ice rrill be apparent 'to' "tlflo's'e skilled in* the art, and thatvariousv changes? ini size; shape, proportion-and details ofconstr'ction may be made wit-hout departing from' the spirit andSc'o'fie of t'h'e claims.

l. In an advertising-dvi@ asnpporto poorly conductingniateriaL-st'tliory means for producing a rotatory magnetic field overthe sup"[')`0rta and a lig'ht nniilar object containing conductingmaterial on said Silpport an'd adapted to be rotated by said field abouta diameter normal to the' Sipport.

2. In an advertising devi-ce', a supportof poorly conducting material,-stationary' means for p rodlc'ing a iotatory inagnetic field over the.support, an objeetof` con-ducting material restirigon tli'e support andadapted to be rotated by the field 'about anA a-Xi's" rior'- lna'l tothe' su'pport,- a plurality of colored lights for illiiniinting said'f'lloj"e"c`t,a and mea-ns for intermittently energizing' each of saidlights.V

3'. In an advertising'. device,- a support of non'econ'duotingmaterial,- s'tati'onary' means for producing a rotatory magnetic fieldabove the support, a ringl of: conductingmaterial having its outer rimsurface resting. on said` support and'adpted toroe rotated by said loullil

field about a diameter normal to the support, and a legend SupportedWithin said ring.

4. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a ring of conducting material having its outer' rim surfaceresting on said support and adapted to be rotated by said field about adiameter normal to the support, said ring having projections on itsedges.

5. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a ring of conducting material having its outer rim surfaceresting on said support and adapted to be rotated by said field about adiameter normal to the support, said ring being highly polished on itsouter surface and painted White on its inner surface.

6. In an advertising device` a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a ring of conducting material having its outer rim surfaceresting on said support and adapted to be rotated by said vfield about adiameter normal to the support, a plurality of differently coloredlights for illuminating said rings during its rotation and means foropening and closing the circuit ot' each light independently of theremaining lights and at irregular in tervals.

7. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a ring of conducting material having its outer rim Surfaceresting on said support and adapted to be rotated by said field about adiameter normal to the support, a plurality of differently coloredelectric lights for illuminating said ring during its rotation, meansfor automatically independently opening and closing the circuit of eachlight and means for concealing said lights.

8. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a display member containing conducting material on said supportand adapted to be rotated by said field about an axis normal to thesupport, a plurality ot' lights of different colors for illuminatingsaid member and means for automatically independently energizing each otsaid lights intermittently at indetern'iinate intervals.

9. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a thin narrow band ot' conducting material on said support andadapted to be rotated by said field about an axis normal to the supportwhereby it is made to simulate the appearance of' a transparent ball.

l0. In an advertising device, a support of non-conducting material,stationary means for producing a rotatory magnetic field above thesupport, a ring of conducting material adapted to be rotated on saidsupport by said field and about a diameter normal to the Support, acolored electric light for illuminating said ring during its rotationand means for intermittently energizing said light.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD M. SHERRILL.

